Mystery Month is a great time to introduce your kids to the mystery genre. There are many outstanding mystery series written especially for children. From classic children’s mysteries to new and exciting series, mysteries help kids develop problem-solving skills and teach them how to be more observant and aware of their surroundings.
Many classic children’s mysteries have undergone strategic rewrites to address issues about technology, be more inclusive, and remove hurtful stereotypes of minorities and society’s most vulnerable citizens. It’s always a good idea to check through older books to make sure they don’t contain antiquated social conventions that could confuse your child.
Our list of suggested books/children’s mystery authors is in chronological order. How many of these authors did you read as a child? Have fun sharing this list with your kids.
The Bobbsey Twins by Laura Lee Hope – This series originated in 1904 and ran until 1979. Seventy -two books were written by various authors using the pen name Laura Lee Hope. Originally, it was not a mystery series, but the popularity of The Hardy Boys series and Nancy Drew Mysteries caused writers to create mysteries for the twins to solve. In 1960, most of the twins’ original adventures were rewritten to address technology issues and changing societal standards. For grades 4-6.
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner – Warner was a first-grade teacher who wanted to create a book series to challenge children to use their minds to solve problems. The series debuted in 1924. Warner wrote the first nineteen adventures. After her death, the series continued with writers using her name as their pen name. She created four main characters, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny. The four children lose their parents and must take care of each other. They settle in an abandoned boxcar and make it a cozy home until their wealthy grandfather finds them and takes them to live with him. Grandfather encourages the children to remain independent and self-sufficient. He moves the Boxcar onto his estate, so the children will always have a connection to their past. The children solve mysteries. For ages 6-9
The Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon – This series first appeared in 1927. Publisher/writer Edward Stratemeyer conceived the idea of two brothers solving mysteries. Frank and Joe Hardy are teenagers who solve crimes as amateur detectives using skills they have learned from their father, Detective Fenton Hardy. The books were written by different authors using the penname Franklin W. Dixon. Fifty-eight books were written in the original series. From 1959-1973, the first 38 books in the series were rewritten to remove depictions of racial stereotyping. From 1927 to 2005 there were 190 books written in the Hardy Boys Mystery series. In addition, 127 volumes of the Hardy Boys Casefiles and 39 volumes of the Undercover Brothers series were written. For ages 6-11
Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene – In 1930, Edward Stratemeyer created the character, Nancy Drew as the female counterpart to the popular Hardy Boys. Nancy, a high school student, along with her two friends, Bess and George solve mysteries. Nancy’s boyfriend Ned Nickerson, a college student occasionally helps. Nancy also receives sage advice from her father, Carson Drew who is an attorney. After graduating high school, Nancy continues to live with her father and their housekeeper and solve mysteries full time. Nancy is independent and believes in her own abilities. She paints, speaks fluent French, drives, operates a motorboat, cooks, and plays tennis and golf. One hundred seventy-five books were written in the original series. Over the years, Nancy has been updated in different series to reflect changing societal norms and technological advances. These books have been translated into @25 different languages. For ages 8-12
Trixie Belden by Julie Campbell Tatham – This series ran from 1948-1986. Tatham wrote the first six books in the series. Thirty-three more books were written by various authors using the pen name Kathryn Kenny. Trixie and her best friend, Honey Wheeler, solve mysteries with a group of friends in their Hudson Valley, New York neighborhood. For ages 9-12
Basil of Baker Street by Eve Tilus – This five-book series started in 1958. The animated film, The Great Mouse Detective was based on this series. Basil, the famous mouse detective lives in the basement of Sherlock Holmes’ famous residence. Basil hones his skills by emulating the famous detective. For ages 6-8
Encyclopedia Brown By Donald J. Sobol – This series originated in 1963 and includes 29 books about Leroy “Encyclopedia” Brown, is Idaville’s hyper observant ten-year-old master sleuth. His father is the police chief of Idaville. Mr. Brown enlists the help of his son to solve crimes by sharing the facts of his cases and letting Leroy “connect the dots.” Readers can solve the cases along with Leroy and learn to hone their powers of deductive reasoning. For ages 7-10
Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat – There are 26 books in this series which started in 1972. Nate solves mysteries for his friends in these beginning reader chapter books. Readers learn to use logical thinking and deductive reasoning to solve these cases with Nate. For ages 5-7
Cam Jansen Mysteries by David A. Adler – This series which started in 1980 has 35 books in the original series. Cam is a girl with a photographic (eidetic) memory. She solves mysteries for her classmates. In 2004, this series inspired an off-Broadway play about Cam Jansen’s exploits. Easy chapter books for ages 7-1O. There is also a Young Cam Jansen series for ages 5-8
The Babysitter’s Club Mysteries by Ann M. Martin – There are 36 books in the original series. This group of babysitting friends is ready for any adventure. For ages 8-11
A to Z Mysteries by Ron Ray – There are 26 books in the original series featuring best friends, Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose, which began in 1997. The basic tenets of the series are that the kids would use their brains, not their fists, to resolve conflicts and the mysteries they solve never involve violence. For ages 6-9
Jigsaw Jones by James Preller – Theodore “Jigsaw” Jones solves mysteries in this series of 32 books created in 1998. These books feature friendship, school, and family, in a diverse community. For ages 6-10
Sammy Keyes by Wendelin Van Draanen. Sammy’s mom is an actress in a soap opera, and her father is a mystery. Sammy lives with her grandmother in Santa Monica, California where she solves mysteries in this 18-book series which began in 1998. For ages 10 and up
Sources for this article:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/staceygrant/wishbone-mysteries-were-the-best